Geneva , FL : One Year old boy Hit and killed by SUV While toddler wandered onto the road along State road 46 on Wednesday , January 14th 2015

A 1-year-old boy was hit and killed by an SUV in Seminole County after the Florida Highway Patrol said the toddler wandered onto the road in Geneva.

It happened around 7:45 a.m. Wednesday on State Road 46 at Sand Pine Place.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 1-year-old Christopher Johnson had wandered away from his home and into the eastbound lanes of State Road 46.

Troopers said 54-year-old James Stephens was driving a Ford SUV eastbound, but was unable to stop in time, hitting the toddler.

The young boy was transported to Central Florida Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Investigators said Johnson, who would've turned 2 years old in April, recently learned how to climb out of his crib. He was somehow able to wander out onto State Road 46, where the driver of the Ford Expedition told troopers he had no time to react.

"We don't believe the driver saw the child until the very last minute and was unable to avoid striking the child," said Sgt. Kim Montes, a spokeswoman with the Florida Highway Patrol.
Investigators said Stephens was going at or even below the 50 mph speed limit when he hit the child. The boy was thrown 45 feet down the roadway. Witnesses tried to revive the child, but it was too late.

Seminole County Child Protective Services is looking into the case since it involved a child, but the Florida Highway Patrol said it's still too early to tell if the boy's parents will face charges — something that appears unlikely.

"Right now, it's too early to tell," Montes said. "We just think this was a very active child that got out of the house. Hindsight's 20-20 about what you can do afterward, but they live right next to a very busy road where the speed limit is 50 mph."

Stephens likely won't face charges, investigators said.

People in the close-knit community of Geneva were shocked and saddened at the young boy's death.




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1-year-old boy hit, killed by SUV in Geneva